Red Sox on a familiar trail in loss to Orioles

The Red Sox always seem to be playing from behind this season, and they were way behind on Monday after starter Clay Buchholz gave up six runs in the third inning and Boston went on to lose, 7-6.

Buchholz only allowed one base-runner over the first two innings — a first-inning walk to Chris Davis — but never got going in the third.

Steve Lombardozzi led off the inning with a single, the first of five straight. The Red Sox then got one out on an Adam Jones' fielder's choice, but Steve Clevenger followed with a double, Jonathan Schoop singled, and Buchholz's day was done.

"Until the double," Buchholz said, "I felt like I made some good pitches."

Buchholz had a rough outing in his first start of the season, giving up 13 hits and six earned runs against the Brewers on April 5. He came back to go six innings against both the Yankees and White Sox, giving up just two earned runs and striking out six in each contest.

"He was a little bit flat," manager John Farrell said of Buchholz's outing Monday.

Many more outings like that and the Red Sox will keep being flattened.

Napoli legs it out

Mike Napoli was in the starting lineup, about half a day after getting hit in the knee by a pitch Sunday night.

"It didn't look promising," Farrell said. "You could hear it from the dugout. It was clearly on the bone. … We were somewhat anxious to see how he was gonna respond this morning, but walking around after the game last night, he was mobile and remained loose."

Napoli was 0 for 3 to start the game, striking out twice. He hit a solo homer to lead off the eighth inning, though, and then had an RBI groundout in the ninth.

Napoli slept at the ballpark Sunday night as did Buchholz, ahead of his start, and John Lackey, who apparently just loves sleepovers.

Bogaerts runs down rally

Napoli's homer brought the Sox to within 7-5. After a groundout by pinch hitter Mike Carp, Boston got the potential tying run on base with consecutive singles by Xander Bogaerts and Daniel Nava.

Bogaerts almost got picked off, and then committed an even bigger blunder by getting caught between second and third base, after pinch hitter Jonathan Herrera struck out, to end the inning.

"Miscommunication" was what the Sox shortstop blamed it on. "I shouldn't have got an out there."

"We were putting runners in motion," Farrell said, "because of our trust in Herrera putting the ball on the ground. It felt like the part of the order, we were trying to create something, force their defense to make a play."

Dustin's double kick

Dustin Pedroia had a pair of doubles and walked twice. He leads the team with eight two-baggers.

The second baseman has multiple hits in three straight games and is 7 for 15 in his last four. He has reached base in 11 of 19 plate appearances in that time.

Yankees, Tanaka tonight

The Red Sox continue their homestand tonight, starting a three-game series against the Yankees. Tonight will give Boston its first look at starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (2-0, 2.05 ERA), New York's Japanese import.

"Looking forward to seeing him pitch," Farrell said. "I think anyone who is a fan of the game is gonna look at a highly talented guy coming to the major leagues here."

Boston's Burke Badenhop pitched 3 scoreless innings of relief. He got out of the third, fourth and fifth innings with double plays. The three DPs were the most in an outing by a Red Sox relief pitcher since Joe Hesketh also induced three on May 22, 1993. … Brock Holt was the latest Red Sox to try leading off. He got a hit in his fourth straight game, going 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. It is the first time in his career he led off for Boston. … The Orioles' Ryan Webb pitched the sixth inning, striking out the side. … The Red Sox are now 68-51 all-time on Patriot's Day, including 4-2 against Baltimore.